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There was a time, not too long ago, when the air we breathe and the water we drink were in danger of becoming dangerous to us.  In the 1960’s and 1970’s the long-term effects of industrialization were becoming clear and the toll progress had taken on the environment around us drew national attention.  Out of this new awareness Earth Day was born.

Originally intended to help raise awareness about the state of our rivers, lakes, forests, and air, Earth Day continues to fulfill that mission.  This year, use Earth Day as a great excuse to get outside and enjoy the incredible weather, beautiful scenery, and wide range of activities that make Arizona in April such an amazing place to be.

Our Arizona Farmers and Ranchers are Celebrating Earth Day Every Day. In Fact, if you want to celebrate “A Billion Acts of Green” (a theme for Earth Day a few years back) again, you need to check out our farmers and Ranchers.

Here are 8 ideas for letting Earth Day inspire you to get outside, get your hands dirty, and simply be thankful for all the wonders of our world.

1. Don’t Drive – If there was ever a perfect day to leave the car at home and walk, jog, or bike to wherever you need to go, Earth Day is that day.
2. Watch the Water – More so than most other Americans, the people of Arizona understand just how precious a commodity water can be.  Help the conservation effort by skipping the shower, waiting to wash the car, wearing those jeans once more before washing them, or anything else that cuts back on your water consumption for the day.
3. Save a Tree – You can cut back on tree product consumption with a few single actions on your computer.  First, switch all bills from paper to online.  Second, request that your name be removed from the phone book distribution list.  Three, request that any paper statements be send electronically.
4. Offset Your Use – Purchasing carbon offsets allows you to purchase clean energy “credits” that help offset your use of less clean forms of energy.
5. Clean Up the Community – A great way to celebrate Earth Day is to gather up others from your community and volunteer to clean up a park, walk the sides of the road and clear trash, or do any other community-based activity to clean up the neighborhood.
6. Get Something Growing – What better way to celebrate Earth Day could there be than to spend the day planting a garden, filling containers with vegetables plants, or doing anything that gets your hands dirty and helps something grow.
7. Take a Hike – Earth Day may be focused on conservation but that doesn’t mean you can’t also use this day to simply celebrate nature.  Take a walk, go for a hike, or do a little kayaking to pay homage to our humble planet.
8. Create a Compost Bin – Rather than filling trash bags and landfills with nutrient rich kitchen scraps, take this day to setup some space to start composting in your yard.  You will cut back on your landfill contribution while making an excellent soil amender for your garden and plants.

Related articles

• Ask a Farmer: Should We Get Away From Industrial Farming and Back to the Family Farm? (fillyourplate.org)
• Arizona Food Prices are Up Slightly in the First Quarter of 2014 (fillyourplate.org)
• Ask a Farmer: Why are Tomatoes Picked Green in Commercial Production? (fillyourplate.org)